Thanks to $4 gas that's not going away, hot hatchbacksdriver's cars disguised in a cloak of practicalityare on the comeback trail. These are the five new hot hatches we'd want in our garage.

Thanks to $4 gas that's not going away, hot hatchbacks—driver's cars disguised in a cloak of practicality—are on the comeback trail. Where the U.S. hot-hatch segment has been thin lately, dominated by a few cars like the Subaru WRX and Mini Cooper S, the success of cars like the new Ford Focus and Fiesta and Mini's popular compact offerings has carmakers looking at the U.S. as a market ripe for smaller vehicles with semi-premium content. Here's a look at the best hot hatches selling right now, and those coming soon.

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Honda Civic Si

On Sale Date: Now

Power: 2.4-liter in-line four with 201 hp, 170 lb-ft of torque

Drivetrain: FWD, six-speed manual, limited-slip differential.

Features: The new Si has much larger front and rear stabilizer bars than a stock Civic, larger front disc brakes and wider performance tires (available Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 Performance rubber). It also hits torque peak at 4400 rpm rather than the insane 6100 rpm of the eighth-generation Civic Si's 2.0-liter motor.

Rumors + Predictions: If we were to predict anything about a car that's already available, it's that the tuner-fan favorite Civic Si is going to have a lot of competition. When hot hatches traded on vanilla cabins and econobox chassis bolstered by better performance, the $22,955 Civic Si would win hands down against the pricier Subaru WRX, Mini Cooper S and Mazdaspeed3. But today the equation includes sports car attributes wedded to deluxe content, and the Honda lacks the latter.

Luckily Honda retains the ace up its sleeve: reliability. Even if Ford's new hatchbacks stand a good chance at besting the Honda on content, loyal Honda fans may stay loyal–because Hondas just don't break. And you can double down on that bet judging Honda against Hyundai.

Drivetrain: FWD, six-speed manual. Ford insiders suggest there may be no autobox option.

Features: The new Focus ST will probably come in either a three- or five-door hatch, with slightly modified skin, especially at the front end, for better cooling. It will carry beefier suspension tuning, possibly Recaro racing seats, some unique trim, 18- or 19-inch wheels, speed-rated performance tires and dual exhaust.

Rumors + Predictions: Ford won't say whether the Focus ST will get the torque-vectoring system of the base Focus. This isn't a proactive system like Acura's Super Handling AWD, in which the driven wheels work in sync with the stability-control system and the outside front tire can be "overdriven" while the car is cornering. Ford's system simply uses the brakes (via the ABS and stability-control systems), and can apply one of the two front brakes at a time in an attempt to prevent too much torque from spinning either of the front tires and creating torque steer or understeer. Critics have said Ford's torque vectoring can lead to unpredictable handling, especially when a car is pushed to the limits of a tire's grip. So figure Ford to do everything it can to prevent such handling problems with the ST, which is intended to compete with VW's new Golf R and will probably be priced a bit below the Volkswagen.

Features: The Fiesta ST will have an altered body for improved cooling, but may be available only as a three-door hatch. It will have better suspension tuning, possibly Recaro racing seats, some unique trim, 17-inch wheels, speed-rated performance tires and dual exhaust.

Rumors + Predictions: Ford reportedly experimented with cramming the 2.0-liter engine from the Focus ST into this car. Unfortunately, that won't be coming to the showroom, partly because Ford is working hard to differentiate its two hot hatches. The automaker is launching them at least six months apart and trying to give the Fiesta as much of a sport focus as possible, while selling the Focus with more of an upscale feel.

Keeping the two hatches separate will be a delicate dance. Figure the Fiesta will be exceptionally light. It's a shorter car, too, so its handling should excel–a good thing for hot-hatch buyers on a budget. We don't know the Fiesta ST's price yet, but one would think it couldn't go much higher than $23,000, with rivals like the Nissan Sentra SE-R coming in at $20,000 and the Civic Si smack at $23,000. Expect the Focus to beat the Fiesta in a straight line, but all bets will be off when both cars are tested on the skidpad.

4 of 5

Mini Paceman

On Sale Date: Fall 2012

Power: The concept car that debuted at this past winter's North American International Auto Show had the 1.6-liter, 2-hp John Cooper Works motor with twin-scroll turbocharging.

Drivetrain: AWD, six-speed manual. No automatic.

Features: A three-door body style based on the five-door platform of the Mini Countryman. There will be some ground-clearance alterations to trim, possibly a lower ride height, and much more aggressive suspension and damping. Custom seating is almost guaranteed.

Rumors + Predictions: There's been little hard news on this concept, which will be the last Mini on the current body style. The motivation behind the Paceman is to legitimize the Mini brand in rally racing, though that may mean the "street" version they sell will have a slightly lower ride height than you'd like for the tarmac as opposed to rutted gravel roads. If it gets the Works motor and Mini's other hot suspension and brake upgrades, you can bet it will be a rival to the 1 Series by Mini owner BMW, possibly for about the same price. And the all-wheel drive is going to make the Mini competent in every season, thus a legit competitor to cars like the WRX. Even if you couldn't care less about rallying.

5 of 5

VW Golf R

On Sale Date: Early 2012

Power: 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with up to 280 hp

Drivetrain: AWD, six-speed manual; possibly DSG (dual-clutch) manumatic with paddle shifts, but not until the second production year.

Features: The Golf hatch will ride on enlarged wheels and tires. It will have new brake rotors, plus more aggressive stability-control settings with "track setting" or the equivalent. Expect both two- and four-door body styles, both of which will get R-body-style cosmetics and sport exhaust.

Rumors + Predictions: Volkswagen had been one of the few brands in the United States that hasn't decided to Buick-ize its styling and sponge down its ride. And, indeed, the Golf R promises to be anything but vanilla. With the Golf R's AWD, 280 hp and a real six-speed gearbox, Volkswagen is at last bringing a genuine WRX fighter to the U.S. Volkswagen is even committing two body styles to the contest, pitting this car against the Mini Paceman (only a three-door). Fuel economy is said to be 20 percent better than the old R32, at a price that should be near $32,000.

Our concern? Weight. The R's predecessor, the R32, was capable but pretty porky. VW will have to know that its rivals in the category will aim to leapfrog the automaker with lighter cars. One (rumored) rival coming quickly is a new version of the forthcoming Hyundai Veloster. The base model is focused on fuel economy and weighs a mere 2500 pounds, about 900 fewer than the Golf R. That'd be one hot hatch to watch for VW–and for the rest of us who can't wait for this genre of car to get yet more entertaining.

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